School House in Nine Elms Lane, Lambeth, Surrey

John Chessell Buckler (1793- 1894) was an architect who restored many buildings in the nineteenth century and wrote several books about it. Buckler is believed to have produced 13,000 topographical drawings in his lifetime. He noted:

“to build, repair, or survey warehouses and sash-windowed dwellings, however profitable, was so much less to my taste than perspective drawing with such subjects before me as cathedrals, abbeys and ancient parish churches, that I never made any effort to increase the number of my employments as an architect.” (The Builder, 10, 3 January 1852, 7)

Buckler may have produced this view for 'Sixty Views of Endowed Grammar Schools', 1827 but it is more likely to represent a view of a poor school as the sign indicates that the Union school was established for the purpose of educating the poor children of Lambeth, Battersea and Clapham.